Macron stays tightlipped on his ‘terrible’ call with Trump
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday his phone calls with US President Donald Trump and other world leaders were just like sausages: better not explain what is inside.
During a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Macron was asked about a CNN report on Tuesday saying a phone call between the French leader and Trump last week had been ‘‘terrible’’.
Borrowing a famous quote from 19thcentury Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck, Macron summed up his policy of refraining from making offtherecord comments about his conversations with other world leaders.
‘‘As Bismarck used to say, if we explained to people how sausages were made, it’s unlikely they’d keep eating them,’’ he said. ‘‘So I like it when people see the finished meal, but I’m not convinced the kitchen commentary helps with delivering the meal or eating it.’’
A readout from the French presidency of Macron’s call with Trump last week said the president had told Trump his decision to slap tariffs on the exports of US allies was both ‘‘illegal’’ and a ‘‘mistake’’.
The shorter White House readout of the same call said the conversation had focused on trade and immigration, without elaborating.
‘‘Macron thought he would be able to speak his mind, based on the relationship. But Trump can’t handle being criticised like that,’’ CNN quoted an unidentified source as saying. ‘‘Just bad. It was terrible.’’